Faculty

Jacob Benner

Distinguished Lecturer & Laboratory Coordinator He/him | 865-974-6013 | jbenner@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Paleontology, Sedimentary Geology

Research Interests: Ichnology and paleoecology

Meilian (Maggie) Chen

Teaching Assistant Professor and Laboratory Coordinator | | mchen51@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Environmental Science, Geochemistry

Research Interests: My research interests in environmental biogeochemistry focus on dynamics of dissolved organic matter in inland waters, coastal ecosystems, polar oceans, and sediments.

Stephanie K. Drumheller

Teaching Associate Professor she/her | 865-974-2366 | sdrumhel@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Paleontology, Paleobiology

Research Interests: My research interests center on taphonomy, ichnology, paleopathology, and paleoecology, especially as applied to understanding the evolution and behaviors of archosaurs.

William Dunne

Professor, Assoc. Dean | 865-974-4161 | wdunne@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Structural Geology

Research Interests: Mesoscopic and Microscopic Structures in Sedimentary and Low-Grade Metamorphic Rocks

Nicholas Dygert

Associate Professor he/him/his | 865-974-6022 | ndygert1@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Petrology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I use field investigations, experiments, and numerical models to understand processes that shape the evolution of planetary interiors and crusts, and to interpret their expressions in the rock record. My focus is the Earth and Moon.

Sean Fettrow

Assistant Professor (starting August 2026) he/him | | sfettrow@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Earth System Science, Environmental Science, Geochemistry

Research Interests: I examine the links between soils, vegetation, and the atmosphere, improving predictions of ecosystem responses to a rapidly changing climate and identify mechanisms that regulate ecosystem greenhouse gas uptake vs emission.

Hairuo Fu

Gerald D. Sisk Assistant Professor (starting August 2027) He/him/his | | | Website

Research Discipline: Geochemistry, Geophysics, Petrology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I combine geochemical analysis and geophysical modeling to understand how elements and isotopes behave during high-temperature processes and what they reveal about planetary evolution, including giant impacts, magma oceans, and differentiation.

Terry C. Hazen

Governor’s Chair for Environmental Biotechnology | 865-974-8080 | tchazen@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Geomicrobiology, Hydrogeology, Environmental Science

Research Interests: Environmental Microbiology; Systems Biology approach to Bioremediation, Bioenergy and Water Quality

Dan Hembree

Professor he, him, his | 865-974-3788 | dhembre2@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Paleontology, Paleobiology, Sedimentary Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Research Interests: Use of ichnology and paleopedology to study the evolution of ancient to modern soils, soil ecosystems, and landscapes as well as evaluating the effect of long-term climate change on terrestrial ecosystems through Earth history.

Robert Jacobsen

Teaching Associate Professor | | rjacobse@vols.utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Geoscience Education, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: Evidence-based teaching practices for large classrooms, graduate student professional development, K-12 STEM education and outreach

Linda Kah

Kenneth R. Walker Professor | 865-974-6399 | lckah@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Geochemistry, Geomicrobiology, Paleobiology, Planetary Geoscience, Sedimentary Geology, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy

Research Interests: My lab integrates sedimentology, geochemistry, and paleobiology to understand planetary biospheres. We explore rock fabrics and geochemical data to understand the evolution of the early Earth, and investigate potential habitable environments on Mars.

Chelsea Mackaman-Lofland

Assistant Professor she/her/hers | | cmackama@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Structural Geology and Tectonics

Research Interests: I combine fundamental skills in structural geology with a variety of field, analytical, and modeling techniques to explore the relationships among crustal deformation, topographic evolution, subsidence, and lithospheric dynamics.

Molly McCanta

Professor she/her/hers | 865-974-6003 | mmccanta@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Geochemistry, Petrology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I am an igneous petrologist whose research is focused on the mineralogic record of magma storage regions conditions and eruptive processes on Earth and other terrestrial bodies.

Michael McKinney

Professor | 865-974-6359 | mmckinne@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Environmental Science

Research Interests: Urban ecology: maximizing biodiversity and ecosystem services on green roofs and green infrastructure, urban invasive species, microplastic pollution. Freshwater mussels and snails: relocation success metrics.

Jeff Moersch

Professor | 865-974-0371 | jmoersch@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: Planetary surfaces; Unmanned spacecraft exploration of the Solar System; Remote Sensing; Terrestrial analogs for planetary surfaces; Instrument development; Exploration science and methodology.

Anner Paldor

Assistant Professor, Don Jones Hydrogeology Endowed Professorship | | apaldor@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Environmental Science, Hydrogeology

Research Interests: I study the dynamics and the environmental implications of groundwater interactions with other components of the hydrologic cycle. I am interested in how these interactions change with time and space - from headwaters to coasts and the oceans.

Amelia (Amy) Robinson

Teaching Assistant Professor she/her | 865-974-8340 | arobins5@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline:

Research Interests: Geochemistry and Hydrogeology

Jarunetr (Nadia) Sae-Lim

Assistant Professor (starting January 2027) she/her | | jsaelim@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Earth System Science, Environmental Science, Geochemistry

Research Interests: I study how hydroclimate, environments, and societies interact through time. I use proxies, biomarkers, geochemistry, and climate and lake models to reconstruct the past and inform current and future climate, water-quality change, and resilience.

Lluís Saló-Salgado

Assistant Professor, Barbara McDonald Endowed Professorship in Energy Transition | | salo@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Geophysics, Hydrogeology, Energy Transition Geoscience

Research Interests: I conduct computational and experimental research at the intersection of geology, flow in porous media, and geomechanics to mitigate geohazards and address outstanding scientific challenges related to energy development in complex subsurface systems.

Manuel Scharrer

Assistant Professor, David Mcdonald Endowed Professorship in Critical Minerals | 865-974-0402 | mscharre@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Critical Minerals, Geochemistry, Petrology

Research Interests: Manuel studies critical minerals using experimental thermodynamics, petrology, and geochemistry. He focuses on rare earth minerals and non-oxides to model ore formation and support sustainable resource and materials development.

Gregory A. Snyder

Teaching Assistant Professor | 865-974-3665 | gsnyde10@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline:

Research Interests: Geochemistry

Alycia L Stigall

Department Head and Jones/Bibee Professor she/her | 865-974-5499 | stigall@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Paleontology, Paleobiology

Research Interests: Paleoecology, biogeography, and speciation; invasive species in the fossil record; Ordovician marine ecosystems; brachiopods; broadening participation in science

Colin D Sumrall

Associate Professor He Him | 865-974-0400 | csumrall@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Earth System Science, Paleontology, Paleobiology

Research Interests: I use field investigations, phylogenetic methods and morphological analysis to understand the timing, nature and ecology of echinoderm evolution and the origin of modern taxa.

Anna Szynkiewicz

Professor | 865-974-6006 | aszynkie@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Environmental Science, Geochemistry, Hydrogeology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I am a geologist and stable isotope geochemist using chemical and light isotope tracers to study surface processes related to water activity on Earth and Mars. I also investigate the origin of sulfur-bearing minerals on Mars.

Bradley Thomson

Assistant Professor he/him | 865-974-2699 | bthom@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: As a planetary geologist, I am interested in understanding the physical processes that have shaped the surfaces of the terrestrial planets, including impact, eolian, fluvial, lacustrine, and volcanic processes.

Associated Faculty

Elizabeth Herndon

ORNL Joint Faculty | 865-341-0330 | eherndo4@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline:

Research Interests: Geochemical factors; Biogeochemical manganese cycling and impacts on carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems

Liyuan Liang

Research Professor she/her/hers | | lliang1@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Environmental Chemistry, Subsurface Biogeochemistry

Research Interests: Mechanistic understanding of contaminant transformations in surface and subsurface environments; aqueous chemical speciation and surface chemical reactions with metals, radionuclides, and organic pollutants

Robert Riding

Research Professor | 865-974-9976 | rriding@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Paleobiology, Sedimentary Geology

Research Interests: Algal and Bacterial Carbonates

Adjunct Faculty

William E. Doll

Senior Geophysicist, Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education and Collier Geophysics | | williamdoll01@gmail.com | Website

Research Discipline: Near surface geophysics

Research Interests:

Annette Summers Engel

Adjunct Research Professor she/her/hers | | aengel1@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Climate Change, Earth System Science, Environmental Science, Geochemistry, Geomicrobiology

Research Interests: Understand and improve water and environmental quality by exploring how biological activities interact with and impact geological and geochemical processes through time using advanced geochemistry and geomicrobiology methods.

Shichun Huang

Adjunct Research Associate Professor he/him/his | 865-974-8347 | shuang25@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Geochemistry, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I use elemental and isotopic tracers, together with petrology and mineralogy, to study the Earth’s mantle and the early Solar System.

Christy Leppanen

Adjunct Research Professor | | cleppane@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline:

Research Interests: I’m a toxicologist and focus on things out of place, chemical contaminants and invasive species, and the pros and cons of the complete set of tools (e.g., research, education, public participation, and policy) we have to mitigate their outcomes.

Jill Mikucki

Adjunct Research Professor | | jmikucki@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Geomicrobiology, Planetary Geoscience

Research Interests: I study how microbes shape ecosystems by investigating isolated subglacial environments—using advanced, collaborative tools to uncover microbial diversity, metabolism, and survival in extreme, ice-covered systems on Earth and beyond.

Ashley-Morgan

Adjunct Research Assistant Professor she/her | | aschenk1@utk.edu | Website

Research Discipline: Environmental Science

Research Interests: Using wildlife and invasive species as model bioindicators and experimental hosts, her research examines how contaminant mixtures and environmental stressors alter disease susceptibility in wildlife and people.